Power outage countermeasure method

Abstract

To enable low-cost emergency power supply countermeasures.SOLUTION: During non outage conditions, a portable storage battery 2 is connected to a distribution board 8 installed in the building to charge the portable storage battery 2, and a specific load 9 in the building is connected to the distribution board 8 via a power supply line 411 to receive power from the grid. During a power outage, the output terminal of the charged portable storage battery 2 is connected to the specific load 9 to supply power, and the power supply line 411 from the distribution board 8 is disconnected from the specific load 9 so that the power supply line 411 does not short circuit to the specific load 9.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for taking measures against power outages that may occur due to large-scale disasters. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there have been frequent cases of natural disasters such as major earthquakes and floods causing severe damage to local lifelines, making it an urgent issue to take thorough measures to deal with these. In particular, there have been an increasing number of cases of large-scale power outages caused by damage to power plants and power transmission and distribution networks, and the importance of taking measures to deal with these situations is being emphasized. When a power outage occurs due to a disaster, it is rare for it to take a long time to be restored, but in many cases it takes several days. During that time, people are forced to live an inconvenient life without electricity. Many people evacuate to evacuation shelters equipped with emergency power supply equipment, but many hesitate to do so for privacy reasons and end up staying in their homes without electricity. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-154257 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In consideration of the above issues, measures are being taken to install emergency power supply equipment in ordinary homes to prepare for power outages during disasters. However, the installation must be done when a new home is built, and the cost is in the hundreds of thousands of yen. Emergency power supply systems for residential buildings typically include solar panels and storage batteries. Under normal circumstances (when no power outages occur), the storage batteries are charged with grid power (power supplied by the power company) and solar power, and the battery's power is used during emergencies (when a power outage occurs). In addition, so-called V2H (Vehicle to Home) systems are sometimes installed, allowing electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid vehicles to be used as storage batteries. In any case, these conventional emergency power supply systems are costly, require long construction periods, and are typically installed when a new home is constructed, making them less widely used. These same issues also exist in non-residential buildings, such as offices and government offices. The present invention has been made with such issues of emergency power supply measures in mind, and aims to make it possible to implement emergency power supply measures at low cost. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To solve the above problems, this specification discloses an invention for a power outage countermeasure method. The power outage countermeasure method according to the disclosed invention is a method in which, when there is no power outage, a portable storage battery is connected to a distribution board installed in a building to charge the portable storage battery, and a specific load in the building is connected to the distribution board with a power feeder to supply power from the grid to the specific load, and, during a power outage, the output terminal of the charged portable storage battery is connected to the specific load to supply power, and the power feeder from the distribution board is disconnected from the specific load to prevent the specific load from being short-circuited. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] As explained below, according to the power outage countermeasure method of the disclosed invention, a portable storage battery that has stored electricity during normal times (when there is no power outage) supplies power to a specific load during a power outage, allowing the specific load to use electricity until the amount of electricity stored in the portable storage battery reaches zero. This makes it possible to use the minimum amount of electricity necessary during a disaster, etc. Furthermore, construction can be completed inexpensively and in a short period of time, and the cost of the hardware can be significantly reduced, making it possible to provide low-cost countermeasures against power outages in the event of a disaster. In addition, the portable battery can be removed and used outdoors for leisure activities, killing two birds with one stone. The fact that the battery is portable also has another benefit: in the event of a power outage, it can be taken to another location indoors and used as needed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a power outage prevention set according to a reference example. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the wiring state when the portable storage battery is removed. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram of a power outage countermeasure set used in a power outage countermeasure method of an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a configuration in which power is stored in a portable storage battery using both grid power from a target branch switch and a photovoltaic power generation panel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Next, a mode for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as an embodiment) will be described. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a power outage countermeasure set of a reference example. The power outage prevention kit shown in Figure 1 is a set that can be retrofitted with the function of using a storage battery to ensure power supply in the event of a power outage. "Retrofitting" means that it can be installed and added after the building is completed, rather than when it is constructed. As shown in Figure 1, this power outage prevention kit is composed of a switch box 1, a portable storage battery 2, a solar power generation panel 3, main wiring 41, 42, etc. The switch box 1 is provided with a main line terminal 100 and a load terminal 101.

[0009] As shown in FIG. 1 , this power outage countermeasure set is attached to one branch switch 81 in an existing distribution board 8 installed in a building. The power outage countermeasure set is installed by being interposed between the one branch switch 81 and a specific load 9 supplied with power from the one branch switch 81. Therefore, during installation, the power feeder to the specific load 9 is removed from the one branch switch 81, one end of the first main wiring 41 is connected to the branch switch 81, and the other end of the first main wiring 41 is connected to a main line terminal 100 on the switch box 1. In addition, one end of the second main wiring 42 is connected to a load terminal 101 on the switch box 1, and the other end is connected to the specific load 9.

[0010] In the following explanation, the branch switch 81 to which the power outage countermeasure set is attached is referred to as the target branch switch. The specific load 9 to which the target branch switch 81 supplies power is the load to which power is supplied by the portable storage battery 2 in the event of a power outage. In the building, power is distributed to each room by the distribution board 8, and the specific load 9 is selected to be a room with a high priority for power supply in the event of a power outage (for example, the living room). In other words, the target branch switch 81 that supplies power to a room with a high priority for power supply in the event of a power outage is disconnected and the power outage countermeasure set is installed.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1, this power outage countermeasure set is basically configured such that a portable storage battery 2 is interposed in series between a target branch switch 81 and a specific load 9. That is, the input terminal 21 of the portable storage battery 2 is connected to the target branch switch 81 by a first main wiring 41, and the output terminal 22 of the portable storage battery 2 is connected to the specific load 9 by a second main wiring 42. Therefore, the portable storage battery 2 and the specific load 9 are in series, with the portable storage battery 2 on the upstream side. The portable battery 2 used is one that has an AC 100V input terminal and an AC 100V output terminal and has a pass-through function. It has the same configuration as a so-called uninterruptible power supply. For example, the DELTA2 sold by EcoFlow Technology Japan Co., Ltd. can be used as the portable battery 2.

[0012] Two switches 11, 12 are arranged inside the switch box 1. One is a switch 11 (hereinafter referred to as the disconnection switch) for ensuring power supply to the specific load 9 when the portable storage battery 2 is removed. The other is a switch (hereinafter referred to as the panel switch) 12 for selecting whether or not to use power from the solar power generation panel 3 to store electricity in the portable storage battery 2.

[0013] The removal switch 11 will be described in more detail with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the wire connection state when the portable storage battery 2 is removed. 1, the switch box 1 is provided with a power storage input connection terminal 103 to which an input line (hereinafter referred to as a battery input line) 23 of the portable storage battery 2 is connected, and a power storage output connection terminal 104 to which an output line (hereinafter referred to as a battery output line) 24 of the portable storage battery 2 is connected. The battery input line 23 and the battery output line 24 are bundled together as a cable with a dedicated socket 25 at the end.

[0014] 1 and 2, a line from the first main wiring 41 branches into a power supply line 411, which is short-circuited to the power storage input connection terminal 103, and a first bypass line 412, within the switch box 1. The power supply line 411 is connected to the power storage input connection terminal 103 via the panel switch 102. As described above, the switch box 1 is provided with a load terminal 101 to which the second main wiring 42 is connected, and the first bypass line 412 is connected to the load terminal 101 via the disconnection switch 11.

[0015] As shown in Fig. 1, when the portable storage battery 2 is attached to the switch box 1, the removal switch 11 opens the first bypass line 412 from the load terminal 101. As shown in Fig. 2, when the portable storage battery 2 is removed, the removal switch 11 short-circuits the first bypass line 412 to the load terminal 101. For convenience of explanation, the removal switch 11 will be referred to as ON when the first bypass line 412 is short-circuited to the load terminal 101 and OFF when the first bypass line 412 is open.

[0016] The removal switch 11 may be a manual switch such as a push button switch, but is preferably an automatic switch that operates automatically when the portable storage battery 2 is removed. For example, a spring member may be provided for the removal switch 11, and when the portable storage battery 2 is removed, the spring action shifts the shorting plate, shorting (turning on) the first bypass wire 412 to the load terminal 101. When the portable storage battery 2 is attached, the removal switch 11 is pressed in against the elasticity of the spring member, and the first bypass wire 412 is disconnected (turned off) from the load terminal 101.

[0017] Next, the panel switch 12 will be described. As shown in Fig. 1, the switch box 1 is provided with a panel terminal 102. In this example, the solar power generation panel 3 is equipped with an inverter 31, which is provided on the power supply line from the solar power generation panel 3. The output of the inverter 31 is connected to the panel terminal 102, and the DC voltage from the solar power generation panel 3 is converted to AC 100V and supplied to the panel terminal 102.

[0018] The panel switch 12 switches between a state in which the power storage input connection terminal 103 is short-circuited to the power supply line 411 and a state in which it is short-circuited to the panel terminal 102. For convenience of explanation, the panel switch 12 will be referred to as ON when the power storage input connection terminal 103 is disconnected from the power supply line 411 and short-circuited to the panel terminal 102, and OFF when the power storage input connection terminal 103 is disconnected from the panel terminal 102 and short-circuited to the power supply line 411. A manual rotary switch is used for the panel switch 12. However, a socket-like device into which a cable extending from the inverter 31 is inserted may be used as the panel terminal, and an automatic switch that automatically turns on when the cable is connected may be used as the panel switch 12.

[0019] 1, a second bypass line 43 is provided as a line branching off from a line connected to the first main line 41 within the switch box 1. The second bypass line 43 bypasses the portable storage battery 2 and the removal switch 11 and is connected to the second main line 42, and an interlocking switch 13 is provided on the second bypass line 43. The interlocking switch 13 is a switch that is interlocked with the panel switch 12 and is normally off (open), but when the panel switch 12 is turned on, it is interlocked and turns on (short-circuited).

[0020] The operation of such a power outage countermeasure set will be described below. The following description also describes a power outage countermeasure method of a reference example. The power outage countermeasure kit is retrofitted to a building after construction as described above. The portable storage battery 2 is attached to the switch box 1, and the disconnection switch is turned off. The portable storage battery 2 is connected to the specific load 9 via the second main wiring 42. Furthermore, the panel switch 12 is turned off, and the solar power generation panel 3 is not connected to the portable storage battery 2. In this wiring state, power is stored in the portable storage battery 2 while being supplied to the specific load 9. Because the portable storage battery 2 has a pass-through function, when it is fully charged, power from the target branch switch 81 is supplied to the specific load 9, bypassing the portable storage battery 2.

[0021] In this state, if a power outage occurs due to a large-scale disaster or the like, the power supply from the grid power to the distribution board 8 will be cut off, and power will no longer be supplied from the target branch switch 81. The portable storage battery 2 will detect this and start supplying power using its internal circuitry. That is, power from the portable storage battery 2 will be supplied to the specific load 9, and power supply to the specific load 9 will continue. When the power outage is resolved, the internal circuitry of the portable storage battery 2 will detect the restoration of power and will return to a state in which it stores power and shorts out the specific load 9.

[0022] When the portable storage battery 2 is removed for outdoor use, the detachment switch 11 operates to short-circuit the first main wiring 41 and the second main wiring 42. This allows power supply to the specific load 9 to continue. Furthermore, when storing power in the portable storage battery 2 using the solar power generation panel 3 on a sunny day, the power feeder line extending from the inverter 31 is connected to the panel terminal 102 of the switch box 1, and the panel switch 12 is turned on. This turns off the power supply from the target branch switch 81, and instead turns on the power supply from the solar power generation panel 3. At this time, the interlocking switch 13 operates and turns on, and the power supply from the target branch switch 81 to the specific load 9 is ensured by the bypassing second bypass line 43. If it is sunny during the daytime when a power outage occurs, the panel switch 12 is turned on to concurrently store power in the portable storage battery 2. This postpones the time until the remaining power of the portable storage battery 2 becomes zero.

[0023] According to this power outage countermeasure method, power is supplied to the specific load 9 during a power outage from the portable storage battery 2 that has stored electricity during normal times (when there is no power outage), so electricity can be used by the specific load 9 until the amount of electricity stored in the portable storage battery 2 reaches zero. This makes it possible to use the minimum amount of electricity necessary during a disaster. Furthermore, since construction can be completed simply by attaching the switch box 1, to which the portable storage battery 2 and the solar power generation panel 3 are connected, to the target branch switch 81 via the first main wiring 41, construction can be completed extremely cheaply and in a short period of time. Furthermore, since the set combines the switch box 1, which has a relatively simple structure, with the portable storage battery 2 and the solar power generation panel 3, which are inexpensively available, the cost of the hardware can also be significantly reduced. This makes it possible to implement power outage countermeasures in the event of a disaster at low cost.

[0024] In addition, the portable battery 2 can be removed and used outdoors for leisure activities, killing two birds with one stone. The battery being portable also has another advantage: in the event of a power outage, it can be taken to another location in the building and used as needed. For example, if the toilet can only be flushed electrically and the power cable is plugged into an outlet, you can take the portable battery 2 to the toilet, connect the power cable to the portable battery 2, and flush the toilet. In other words, it kills three birds with one stone.

[0025] Furthermore, the above-mentioned power outage countermeasure kit is equipped with a solar power generation panel 3 and is capable of storing electricity in the portable storage battery 2, so that the time until the remaining charge in the portable storage battery 2 becomes zero during a power outage can be extended, making it particularly suitable for long-term power outages. In the power outage countermeasure set described above, if the disconnection switch 11 is configured to operate in conjunction with the panel switch 12, the second bypass line 43 and the interlocking switch 13 are not required. However, if the disconnection switch 11 is configured to operate in conjunction with the removal of the portable charger 2, two interlocking operations are required, which has the disadvantage of making the structure complicated.

[0026] Next, a power outage countermeasure set used in the power outage countermeasure method of the embodiment will be described. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the power outage countermeasure set used in the power outage countermeasure method of the embodiment. This power outage countermeasure set is also a set that is retrofitted and connected to a target branch switch 81 in a distribution board 8 installed in a building, and includes a switch box 1, a portable storage battery 2, and a solar power generation panel 3. The power outage countermeasure set shown in Figure 3 differs from that in Figure 1 in that the portable storage battery 2 is connected in parallel to a specific load 9.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 3, in this power outage countermeasure set, a power feeder line 411 and a power storage branch wiring 44 are provided in the form of a line connected to the first main wiring 41 branching off. Similarly, a panel terminal 102 and a panel switch 12 are provided in the switch box 1. The panel switch 12 switches whether the power storage input connection terminal 103 is short-circuited to the power storage branch wiring 44 or to the panel terminal 102. Similarly, when the solar power generation panel 3 is used, the panel switch 12 is turned on, and the panel terminal 102 is short-circuited to the power storage input connection terminal 103.

[0028] The power supply line 411 extends from the branch point and is connected to the load terminal 101 via the power failure switch 14. The power storage output connection terminal 104 is also connected to the load terminal 101 via the power failure switch 14. The power failure switch 14 is a switch that, under normal circumstances (when there is no power failure), shorts the power supply line 411 and the load terminal 101 (off state), and, when a power failure occurs, disconnects the power supply line 411 from the load terminal 101 and shorts the power storage output connection terminal 104 to the load terminal 101 (on state). The power failure switch 14 is a manual switch such as a rotary switch, but may also be a switch that is provided with a sensor that detects a power failure and is automatically turned on and off by a signal from the sensor.

[0029] In the power outage countermeasure method of this embodiment using this power outage countermeasure set, portable storage battery 2 supplies power to specific load 9 during a power outage, and by using solar power generation panel 3 in combination, the time until the remaining charge becomes zero can be extended, making it suitable as a power outage countermeasure during disasters, etc. Furthermore, portable storage battery 2 can be used for leisure activities, etc., or can be taken to a necessary location and used during a power outage.

[0030] In the power outage countermeasure method of this embodiment using the power outage countermeasure set, portable storage battery 2 is also energized and stores electricity through power storage branch wiring 44 during normal times (when there is no power outage). During a power outage, the voltage through power storage branch wiring 44 becomes zero, and an output voltage is generated at the output terminal by the internal circuit of portable storage battery 2. In this state, when power outage switch 14 is turned on, storage output connection terminal 104 connected to the output terminal of portable storage battery 2 is connected to load terminal 101, and power is supplied to specific load 9 by portable storage battery 2.

[0031] In an embodiment using this power outage countermeasure set, the portable storage battery 2 is connected in parallel to the specific load 9, so even when it is removed, power supply to the specific load 9 continues without hindrance when there is no power outage. Therefore, a disconnection switch 11 is not provided. Instead, a power outage switch 14 is provided, which must be operated in the event of a power outage. When the power outage countermeasure set of Figure 1 is used, the portable storage battery 2 is connected in series to the specific load 9, so power is automatically supplied by the portable storage battery 2 in the event of a power outage, and there is no need to operate the switch. However, if the power outage switch 14 is set to an automatic switch in the power outage countermeasure set of Figure 3 as described above, it is possible to automatically start power supply to the specific load 9 from the portable storage battery 2 in the event of a power outage.

[0032] In the power outage prevention kits with the above configurations, the solar panel 3 is preferably portable. This has several advantages, including the ease of retrofitting and ease of installation on a balcony. Another advantage is that solar panels are readily available at low cost. Furthermore, depending on the output voltage of the solar panel 3, it can be used for outdoor purposes. For example, if the inverter 31 is used as is, it can be used with AC 100V. If the inverter 31 is removed and used with DC voltage, it can be used for various purposes depending on the output voltage, such as charging a smartphone. Furthermore, if the portable storage battery 2 has a DC input terminal compatible with the DC output voltage of the solar panel 3, when taking the portable storage battery 2 out for leisure activities, the solar panel 3 can also be taken out and used, allowing the portable storage battery 2 to store electricity while being used outdoors. An example of such a portable solar panel 3 is the EcoFlow 110W solar panel sold by EcoFlow Technology Japan Co., Ltd.

[0033] Furthermore, in the power outage countermeasure sets having each of the above configurations, the power storage in the portable storage battery 3 is selected by the panel switch 12 from either the grid power from the target branch switch 81 or the solar power generation panel 3, but it is also possible to store power using both simultaneously. An example of this configuration is shown in Figure 4. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a configuration in which power is stored in the portable storage battery using both the grid power from the target branch switch and the solar power generation panel. The example in Figure 4 is an example of adopting a dual-use configuration for the power outage prevention set shown in Figure 1. In this example, portable storage battery 2 is equipped with DC input terminal 26. No inverter is provided for solar panel 3, and the output of solar panel 3 is a DC output that is compatible with DC input terminal 26.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 4, this configuration example does not include a panel switch. Therefore, an interlocking switch interlocked with the panel switch and a second bypass line opened and closed by the interlocking switch are also not provided. The switch box 1 is provided with a panel DC input terminal 105 to which the DC cable 32 of the solar power generation panel 3 is connected, and a panel DC output terminal 106 to which the DC input terminal 26 of the portable storage battery 2 is connected. In Fig. 4, when the solar power generation panel 3 is connected to the panel DC input terminal 105 via the DC cable 32, the solar power generation panel 3 is connected to the DC input terminal 62 of the portable storage battery 2, and during sunny daytime hours, the portable storage battery 3 is charged with power from both the target branch switch 81 and the power from the solar power generation panel 3.

[0035] In this example, when a power outage occurs, as described above, an output voltage is generated by the internal circuit of portable storage battery 2, and power is supplied to specific load 9 via second main wiring 42. In this case, if DC cable 32 is left connected, portable storage battery 2 is automatically charged with power from solar power generation panel 3 during sunny daytime hours, automatically achieving the effect of postponing the use up of power in portable storage battery 2. Note that in the example of Figure 4, simply connecting DC cable 32 does not enable portable storage battery 2 to charge power using solar power generation panel 3, and a separately operated panel switch may be further provided. Such a panel switch is provided in switch box 1, but portable storage battery 2 may also be equipped with such a switch. Furthermore, in each of the power outage countermeasure sets described above, there are cases where portable battery 2 is equipped with a switch equivalent to panel switch 12, and switch box 1 is not provided with panel switch 12. In this case, however, the power outage countermeasure set shown in Figure 1 must be configured so that interlocking switch 13 is interlocked with the switch on portable battery 2, which has the disadvantage of making the configuration somewhat complicated.

[0036] The configuration in which the portable storage battery 3 is charged with both the power from the target branch switch 81 and the power from the solar panel 3 can also be adopted in the power outage countermeasure set shown in Fig. 3. In this case, the panel switch 12 can also be omitted. Furthermore, the configuration in which portable storage battery 2 is charged with both the power from target branch switch 81 and the power from solar power generation panel 3 can also be achieved by a configuration in which the output of solar power generation panel 3 is converted to AC by inverter 31. For example, a configuration in which a circuit that superimposes the two AC powers is provided inside switch box 1 can be adopted.

[0037] The above-mentioned power outage preparation kits can be used not only in ordinary homes but also in offices and government offices. For example, government offices, which act as a command center for responding to disasters, need to ensure that the minimum necessary power source (such as a power source for contacting relevant parties) is available even in the event of a power outage. Each power outage preparation kit can be used for this purpose. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 1 switch box 101 Load terminal 102 Panel terminal 103 Storage input connection terminal 104 Storage output connection terminal 11. Withdrawal switch 12 Panel switch 13 Interlocking switch 14 Power outage switch 2 Portable storage batteries 3. Solar panels 31 Inverter 41 First main wiring 411 Power line 412 First Bypass Line 42 Second main wiring 43 Second Bypass Line 44 Branch wiring for power storage 8 Distribution board 81 Target branch switch 9 Specific load

Claims

[Claim 1] When there is no power outage, the portable battery is connected to a distribution board installed in the building to charge the portable battery, and specific loads in the building are connected to the distribution board via power feeders to supply power from the grid to the specific loads. A power outage countermeasure method characterized by connecting the output terminal of a charged portable storage battery to a specific load to supply power during a power outage, and disconnecting the power supply line from a distribution board from the specific load to prevent the power supply line from shorting out to the specific load.

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